Chapter 1
The Dragon Balls. A cause of many misfortunes that befall the human race, and yet their designed purpose was to grant enlightenment through non-use. You weren't supposed to them. The balls themselves though were said to grant wishes. So who wouldn't want to test them out and see if it was true, and who would stop using them once they discovered the power they really possessed? Dragonball Multiverse ''' Chapter One '''Invitation To A Strange Tournament OOOOOOO "Parallel Universe #5098487923674. We have arrived, deploying scanners." On a ship that contained more than dozen crew members, mixed between the green-skinned Namekians and their seasoned, humble companions called Vargas, the journey for their 18th group appeared to be coming to an imminent end. There was a source of life in this quadrant, unlike the previous where less than one hundred still dreamed on this world. There, again, the highest reading that the Vargas detected was coming from within that single region of space. Atop that habitable blue ball, a misty white planet floating so innocently within the milky cosmos that the humans had strangely deemed Earth back before they had any interest in space travel. Atop the crust of this Earth was a race, a species, a group, or a member with an exceptionally high amount of psychic or geological radiance. There were various Earths similar to these, some possessed alien characteristics like gigantic bio-stars and gargantuan trees that begin sucking the matter away from the planet's surface. There were some Earths conquered by alien dictators and others that were entirely vanished through some unknown means. Those Earths had only put the Vargas at a dead end. The Vargas were looking for Earths with the capacity for strong competition; they had found at least sixteen Earths with plausible candidates and found two other successes in locations not faraway from the planet. This was very perplexing to the bird-like scientists, for they had not originated on Earth and did not understand why their version of Earth lacked any such persons. "Detected." said one of the Vargas. "At the same place." "Earth again... the inhabitants are different from the last and the planet's still intact. I'd say this is a good find." A bridge monitor scrolled up with a biometric reading of the planet and the potential specimen the Vargas were searching for here. There was a much larger selection than the previous Earth to choose from and none were so menacing as their previous entries. The Vargas considered their choices and agreed to visit this world for scouting. A bright, heaven-tinted location appeared on their monitors indicating the staging position they would use, based solely off of previous entries into the other worlds. This floating palace was isolated from the rest of its world and rose so high as though it wanted to detach itself, but the Vargas had already known that this place was the base from which Earth's defenders chose to gather. In some worlds this place was referred to as Kami's Lookout, the home of an ancient figure who watched over the Earth from geostationary orbit. The Lookout was where the Vargas and their Namekian companions would start off by sending a shuttle down through the Earth's atmosphere. Instruction pods, capable of atmospheric reentry and self-guided travel and return functions, would be shipped out to search for other targets. ooooooo Prudent, long-lived Mr. Popo had lived and served on the Lookout for hundreds of years and few occasions were as peculiar as this. A spaceship approached the Lookout like a fly creeping from the shadows, with its wings making noise that alerted its target to its presence. Mr. Popo tried to warn Piccolo, the reluctant doppelganger of the Lookout's previous owner, of the ship's arrival, yet Piccolo had already been standing there, fixated upon the strange ship, knowing that it lacked either Saiyan or Namekian origins. Kami's successor, Dende, came out with him and cautiously observed the ship's descent towards them. "How is this ship able to land here? Only few are authorized..." Piccolo replied. "They are authorized ... Nameks are always welcome on the Lookout." When the ship touched the platform and settled, a hydraulic noise yelled from the spacecraft's interior as a ramp widened from the ship's base, gradually lowering until it became a complete walkway for whatever was inside. Though Piccolo had sensed the presence of Namekians onboard the ship, he was still studying the ship cautiously. Earth had seen too many threats from space for him to be overly trusting now. "...But this ship isn't like anything I've ever seen." commented Dende. "Yes. Be careful." What came out of the ship were indeed Namekians... and something neither Piccolo nor Dende were expecting. A single tiny, beaked creature with feather-like hair and talons on its feet, arms folded behind its back and body clothed in a tied, full-body tunic. It walked off of the ship's dock with the Namekians, and one of these Namekians who was standing to the bird creature's right greeted the three occupants of the Lookout. "Hello, you three." Piccolo felt the itch of sweat on his neck, "...who are you?" "We're Namekians... from another universe." the same Namekian answered, "We came to your world with the help of the Vargas and their groundbreaking technology." The bird creature seemed to click at this, as if he was emphasizing his importance in this meeting of the worlds. ooooooo If everything these Vargas and Namekians from another world was true, then the circumstances were fairly explainable. Piccolo and Mr. Popo knew much of the realm that awaits those who have passed away; the Other World where the spirit and mind leaves to and where many of Earth's strongest warriors had visited both willingly and unwittingly. The one who ruled that plane of existence was the mighty King Yemma, the one who determined the fates of those who died nobly and those who lived only to cause suffering. But this was not the entire map of existence or so it seemed, as the Namekians and the Vargas tried to convince them. There was more than just a single universe; countless alternate realities that ran almost parallel and some perhaps perpendicular to this one. This brought questioning as to how a time traveler like the future descendant of Vegeta could travel back decades while still being able to return to his own time. The Vargas stated that this was actually a simpler form of exchanging one reality for another, stating that a time traveler's actions would only create a separate stream of realities that lacked the same consciousness of his original reality. Many realities had similar situations and outcomes, yet at the same time many cut corners and wound up with different outcomes. It was like one, discombobulated spider web where each trapped insect was a meal for a different spider. "For instance," the Vargas present there said, "one Earth might have a red sky while another might have a blue one. But another universe may lack an Earth all together, or there may be an Earth which was conquered by aliens and left no room for humans to evolve, resuming the planet's life-cycle with an entirely different species on it." That possibility rested in Piccolo's head when he recalled the number of aliens that had made their way to Earth; he himself was once merely an extraterrestrial seeking to conquer this planet, and of course the Saiyans and Frieza's Organization, too, had their own interests in selling a pretty blue ball like Earth to the highest bidder anywhere in the solar system. In just one particular universe, according to the Vargas, their race had discovered a means to travel between universes out of pure luck. Universes had a lot of space between them which meant that few if almost no single being could cross the distance before their lives ended, or would carry the amount of energy and mass to pass the barrier. A wish from the Eternal Dragon, though rendering a regular being physically immortal, would not transcend the laws of travel or sustain a lifeform during inter-universe travel, and it was unlikely that a method like Majin Buu's of simply surging enough energy into a single point could collapse the distance either. Even a Kai, and the elite Kaioshin, lacked the ability to whimsically cross the universes even with their immortality. A specific method was needed, and that method was the Vargas's spacecraft that rested on the Lookout in front of them. Its shell and systems alone could produce the requirements needed to reach the goal. The Vargas were impeded by the Kais of their own universe, who were in agreement that if a multitude of Kais from alternate universes were to meet a conflict would most likely emerge between them all, and that it would be responsible to keep the universes separated and resuming their natural courses. But they had allowed one exception in this dictation - a tournament, which would invite fighters from across several universes to compete under their willingness to participate and not violate the peaceful conduct. With this permission, the Vargas searched for the most powerful beings inside of each universe, and they searched for universes that possessed strong, distinct differences with each other to prevent any dullness or repetition. The universe that they were standing in now would be the eighteenth to enter if they accepted the invitation and they could bring any number of fighters to the tournament now that they had made an accord. The winner of the tournament would receive 3 wishes from the Namekian Dragon. "What about the contestants?" said Piccolo, "If these universes are really as varied as you say they are, then there's more than likely going to be a couple of worlds where some of our most dangerous enemies succeeded where in our reality they may have failed. These fights are going to be until someone surrenders or an opponent is killed, correct?" One Namekian responded, "Dragon Balls of other universes will be used to resurrect those killed in the tournament, and we have many Namekian healers to recuperate those injured during their battles. A shield is being placed around the stadium to prevent any possibility of threats to our audience from some of our stronger combatants. We have tested and proved this shield's capacity to contain the rising entropy of an exploding star, an energy level equivalent to the level of your solar system's biggest star were it to explode." "In many universes, we believe that this many units is well above the estimated battle power of most species." Piccolo nodded, hearing that a shield was requested for the tournament put some concerns away, "So the prize is three wishes?" "In addition to the prize, warriors usually look for a new challenge." said the Vargas. "This is a unique chance and with no risk to your universe. Our only question is whether or not you would like to enter." He trusted the Namekians, and he could tolerate the bond that his people had formed with these Vargas, but Piccolo couldn't lessen the doubt poisoning his thoughts. This situation, this universe-crossing could be very dangerous and cause close encounters with beings from unimaginable origins, but on the same hand, it was an opportunity unlike any other. In this universe at least, Son Goku, Vegeta, and Majin Buu were the three strongest fighters that he had ever seen and were always looking for the next challenge no matter how much bigger it was. "I'm suspicious... but Goku will want to enter for sure." "Goku?" the Vargas tilted curiously. He turned his eyes on his Namekian partner, "Didn't we hear about this 'Goku' in that universe with the space pir-" "Ssssssh." the Namekian hushed him, "We don't want to give these competitors any hints on their competition." Now Piccolo's suspicions stood upon a sharp needle, though the position was still in the air. He sighed, "I guess we're going to be in for some surprises." The Namekian smiled, "You accept then?" Piccolo nodded. "This is great news! Now, we've detected that your universe's most powerful fighters are currently on Earth. We can send them a message using our machines." ooooooo Son Goku, the champion of Earth, was busy training his protege in the Gizard Wasteland. His student, Uub, was practicing the Kaioken and struggled to maintain it past the second level. Uub's previous existence as Majin Buu enabled him to access inconceivable limits of strength accessed solely through his rage, unlike his Majin counterpart. The child form of Majin Buu's very makeup was bonded to the energy that formed the universe and allowed him to reform seemingly without end. But Uub, reincarnated as a human, had to study and train the same as his master and his friends to become stronger. Vegeta was with his family, an odd sight indeed, as they were on their way to a public Capsule Corp QnA convention. The extinguished Prince of All Saiyans reluctantly agreed to go with his son and wife with the acceptance that he had become a very wealthy man by marrying the middle-aged Earth woman. Bulma requested his appearance because the PR from the event would boost Capsule Corp's image; of course this didn't make much sense being that Capsule Corp had become an irremovable foundation of modern society with its space-age developments and capsule production. Two mysterious pods appeared near them; one appeared floating behind a surprised Uub and another landed in Capsule Corp's picnic area where Vegeta nearly destroyed it out of instinct. And the third appeared around the Son household on Mt. Paozu. The son of Goku and one of the four strongest fighters on Earth, Gohan, spotted this drone and took caution. The machine opened up one of the panels on its chassis and showcased a message screen: "Son Gohan," it said, "you have been identified as one of this universe's strongest fighters. Please travel to the highest altitude platform possible and await further direction." The drone then released a second screen, this one showing an image of the Lookout where Piccolo, Dende, and Mr. Popo were standing next to an unusual group of people. "Piccolo! Dende!" shouted Gohan. "Trunks, is this some kind of prank?" Vegeta asked with malice, more than tired of his son's robotic mischief. The teenager shook his head with no idea where the drone had come from. The message, unknown to each of them, addressed the three Saiyans individually and displayed live videos of each other. Goku and Uub, who were seeing Vegeta and his family, were the most confused by this entrance. Pan levitated behind them and peeked at the drone before it closed shop and flew off. The daughter of Gohan puffed her cheeks and begged to know what had just occurred, but she received shrugs from her grandfather and his protege. ooooooo Gohan, Videl, and Pan had started living next to their respective parents-in-law not so long ago. When the drone departed, Gohan knew that his daughter would be with his dad, so he rushed back into the house and told Videl about the exchange or what little there was. She agreed that they should visit the Lookout, since Gohan's father would probably bring their daughter there in the first place even if there was some danger to the Earth or some unearthly warning being delivered to them. The husband and wife tried to slip away from their dwelling unsuccessfully. Chi Chi stomped outside of her home just before they'd started to fly off with a scowl. "I saw what that robot was showing you through the window! You're bringing me with you this time!" "Guh, but mom it's...!" "We should bring her too Gohan. If there really is a threat on its way, the safest place probably would be the Lookout." "I know but... if we're being called there then whatever's waiting for dad, Vegeta, and me could be expecting for us to bring our families there!" "The three strongest warriors on this planet and you're worried?" It was two-against-one and before the Ox-King could get wound up in this field trip, Gohan conceded and allowed his mother to come with them. It was easier just to use the technique his father had demonstrated and unwittingly taught him via observation over the past 10 years, the ability of transmitting one's molecules instantly across distance and dimensions. All he had to do was place his hand on Videl, who joined hands with Chi Chi and added her to their company, and placed two of his fingers to his forehead while focusing on his father's energy signature faraway. His father had already moved away from where the machine displayed, so far that it was difficult to reach him but when he did Gohan smiled. The three of them disappeared from that spot in a blur of speed, now standing on top of a royal platform that belonged to Gohan's teacher and the Guardian of Earth, Dende-sama. They weren't alone, in fact there was already a small group convened on the Lookout with a strange ship situated between the rows of palm trees that Kami and Mr. Popo once planted and cared for. Gohan's Instant Transmission had taken them there in that narrow second and just as quickly Chi Chi flew into a rage when her hapless husband was in sight. "Goku!" "Ch... Chi Chi?" the confused father stuttered. "Dad, we were contacted by that weird robot! What's going on?" Videl took a step ahead of her husband and looked for Pan. The fourteen-year old girl, with a red pole tied around her back, ran to her mom and dispelled Videl's worries, they both hugged and watched as Gohan calmed his own mother and explained everything. Goku was just as clueless as him, and then Piccolo and Dende approached and filled in the blanks. A minute of explanation later was when a white-blue aura rocketed over Dende's Lookout and checked for any signs of activity. The person was noneother than Vegeta, who smirked as he saw Gohan and went down to them: "So what are third and fourth place doing here, Kakarot?" Vegeta said, mocking Gohan and Uub, though the latter didn't catch this. "Did a little birdie come by and tell you something ominous too?" Before Goku could answer, Gohan scowled at Vegeta, "After ten years, I'd thought you'd have cooled off a little bit Vegeta." "And what, give way to old age? Tch, a real Saiyan keeps pushing himself further and further with no end in sight. I already knew I was one of the strongest in the universe next to your father and that champion made out of lard, but now an alien robot comes to tell me I have to come here to figure out who my competition is?" The two Saiyans stared at each other briefly. This was until a second screeching aura arrived, this one carrying a frantic Bulma who was carried by her son. The aged professor paced towards her thoughtless husband in a rage while Trunks took a step back. "Vegeta!" yelled Bulma, "How dare you start a commotion at MY job and then just take off in the middle of everything! Do you have any idea how many tabloids are going to say that they saw a FLYING MAN come out of Capsule Corp and almost blow up a flying robot! Of all the thoughtless, inconsiderate moves, this is the most idiotic thing you've ever done!" Their bickering continued as a third person landed on the Lookout next to Trunks. It was Goten, a boy who might have resembled his father if not for his shaggy long, black hair and his casual clothes in contrast to his martial arts background. "Hey Trunks, I got your text. I had to cut my date in half because of this, what's going on up here?" asked Goten. Trunks shrugged, "Beats me, a small robot appeared at a Capsule Corp convention and I had to bring my mother up here or else my allowance was going to get cut in half. Now they're arguing and I still don't know what to do." Goku and Piccolo helped to control the riot between Vegeta and Bulma. The two families were dragged into a circle nearby the alien ship where the Vargas voluntarily explained their situation once again to the outlying families; this spread paranoia and disbelief between the two scientists Bulma and Gohan, although Goku, Pan, and Uub were delighted at the idea of fighting people from another world. Goku rejoiced, "That's a super chance! And once we get there, Uub can test his powers without any risk! There's so many restrictions here on Earth." "Maybe in one universe I'm stronger than Grandpa and Dad!" Pan made a wide smile, her father and mother winked at her. The prince folded his arms and glared at the Vargas spaceship. The people organizing this "tournament" weren't like any other species he had seen during his days working under Frieza, and they didn't look like anything Frieza emploted. Not like Abo and Cado. And they were out of the question either; they thought like foot soldiers, not strategists, and they probably wouldn't send bird spies after being beaten to a pulp seven years ago. Vegeta disregarded them: "I don't buy that multiverse story at all... but there's no way you're going to a tournament without me." "But... Vegeta-sensei, are you sure you want to fight Goku there? There's going to be so much competition there you might not get the chance." asked Uub. "Ha, listen boy, Kakarot may be training you, but be sure of this - you'll be getting some surprises from me." Vegeta scornfully replied. Goten and Trunks swapped glances. "We have... a question." The tournament organizers turned to them. "...can we fight as a team?" they said in unison. "No, only one fighter is allowed for every match. Also, you lose if you can't fight for thirty seconds or give up. Weapons are allowed." "We're cool with that." the two saiyan-earthlings smiled, "We register Gotenks. He's here with us but ... you can't see him yet-" "It is fine." said the Namekian, "Spectators are greatly welcomed. And we will accept any fighter regardless of size, strength, race, or age. One fighter even registered his son who isn't even born yet." "We don't care if you create this Gotenks right before the fight." the Vargas added. Piccolo stepped forward, "Then I'll come along as a spectator." "Me too." said Gohan. The group that was participating - Goku, Uub, Pan, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks; as well as the second group that was spectating - Bra, Gohan, Piccolo, and Videl; followed the Vargas and the Namekians into their space craft. Vegeta took a head start, gliding into the hatch hastily while the others followed. The Namekian assistant explained that they were the eighteenth universe to enter the competition, and therefore would be designated as "Universe 18" for all future appearances during the tournament rounds. "Please, be careful!" shouted Chi Chi, knowing full well that her husband would go out of his way to sacrifice it all for a good fight. "Please don't worry; there is nothing that the power of the dragon cannot fix. And besides... there's no reason for anything bad to happen anyway." the Namekian assistant claimed. When the hatch closed, one of the engineers shouted, "Everyone is here! Let's take off!" ooooooo The shuttle that the Vargas had arrived on the Lookout in was actually a smaller part of a larger spacecraft. When the shuttle docked, the entirety of Universe 18 poured out and entered an elaborate interior that the Vargas claimed was the epicenter of the true universe-crossing technology running through the walls like steel wire. As the members of Universe 18 scattered to take a look around, Goku stretched his arms and walked over to the Vargas who had spoken with them at the Lookout, with the poor creature only being up to about half of the Saiyan's height. "So er... will this trip take long?" he asked, remembering the extraneous trips to Namek and New Namek. "Not at all. We will warp to the universe where the tournament is taking place; it's a universe with absolutely no life in any quadrant so there won't be any risk to harming life in that world." A minor vibration told him that they had just warped... ooooooo The tournament stadium was a massive, upside-down bowl with toothy columns rising up the sides of it, the series of black ovals on the uppermost layer resembled windows or maybe just glass ornaments. From what little the bewildered Pan and Uub could describe from their seats, the stadium was packed so tightly that peoples' heads looked like tiny, black dots with minor spaces where the congregation had less influence. The Vargas spacecraft touched down on the planet's surface just outside of the stadium, the inhabitants of Universe 18 saw the multitude of other ships from potential competitors and audience alike, but no one could tell exactly who or what had come out of those ships except for Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince silently acknowledged with a huff of disgust the likes of a Frost Demon spacecraft, a massive, empiric dome that had spidery legs beneath its center body. The organizers guided Universe 18 through a long hallway and into the balcony they would be standing in for the rest of the tournament, a fair-sized box with enough space to carry fifty or sixty more people, and four long benches for all of them. It was obvious that they weren't the first universe to arrive nor were they alone, many other balconies already filled but so far away that it was difficult to see who was inside of them. "You may surely meet... people you think you know, but really, they will be from a different universe." the chief Vargas had told them on their "flight" here. "This is the 18th universe balcony... so the tournament starts as soon as the ones on our left are filled." Piccolo deduced, earning a compliant nod from Gohan. "So then there should be 17 competitors in the 17 spaces to our right... Gha!" ! Gohan tensed. "Look, it's..." They all peeked over to the balcony next to them... ...and to the familiar, green-black figure that was standing there, looking bored and unequaled by the lavish audience. Glares, glances, gazes, and stares shot between Universe 18 and the apparent only member of Universe 17's "strongest", the super perfect lifeform they had defeated long ago on their Earth, in their universe. "CELL!" Goku screamed in surprise. "...you'' ''again?" the perfect lifeform snarled back. OOOOOOO